Kadam Milakar Chalna Hoga

Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee the eleventh Prime Minister of India is a renowned poet. His poems are well known and his style of reciting them was remarkable. This poem is an inspirational poem in which he is appealing to walk together without catering for difficulties to have a better tomorrow. I have tried to translate this poem in this post.

बाधाएँ आती हैं आएँ, घिरें प्रलय की घोर घटाएँ,

पावों के नीचे अंगारे, सिर पर बरसें यदि ज्वालाएँ,

निज हाथों में हँसते-हँसते, आग लगाकर जलना होगा।

क़दम मिलाकर चलना होगा।

Badhaein aati hain aayein, Ghirein pralay ki ghor ghataein,

Pavon ke neeche angarey, Sir par barsein yadi jwalaein,

Nij hatho mein haste-haste, Aag lagakar jalna hoga.

Kadam milakar chalna hoga.

Let the obstacles come, Let the disaster be gruesomeEmbers under the feet, Let fire shower make you numb,We have to laughingly burn our own hands together,We have to walk together

हास्य-रूदन में, तूफ़ानों में, अगर असंख्यक बलिदानों में,

उद्यानों में, वीरानों में, अपमानों में, सम्मानों में,

उन्नत मस्तक, उभरा सीना, पीड़ाओं में पलना होगा।

क़दम मिलाकर चलना होगा।

Hasya-rudan mein, toofano mein, Agar asankhyak balidanon mein,

Udhayanon mein, virano mein, Apmanon mein, sammanon mein,

Unnat mastak ubhra seena, Pidaon mein palna hoga.

Kadam milakar chalna hoga.In laughter-cry, In storms, If in the countless sacrifices,In gardens, In barren, In insults, In praises,Advanced mind, emerged chest, we have to live in pain together,We have to walk together

Kadam milakar chalna hoga.In light, In darkness, In shore, In midstream,In abject hatred, In son’s love, In momentary victory, In long defeat,Attractive terms of life’s condition, our aspirations have to be molded together,We have to walk together

सम्मुख फैला अगर ध्येय पथ, प्रगति चिरंतन कैसा इति अब,

सुस्मित हर्षित कैसा श्रम श्लथ, असफल, सफल समान मनोरथ,

सब कुछ देकर कुछ न मांगते, पावस बनकर ढ़लना होगा।

क़दम मिलाकर चलना होगा।

Sammukh faila agar dhyay path, Pragrati chirantan kaisa iti ab,

Susmit harshit kaisa shram shlath, Asafal, Safal samaan manorath,

Sab kuch dekar kuch na maangte, Pawas bankar dhalna hoga.

Kadam milakar chalna hoga.

If contemplative path is spread in front,Progress without end what is now dead,How happy joyful is labor flaccid, having equal desire for failure and success,Don’t ask for anything after giving everything, have to adjust like water together,We have to walk together.

कुछ काँटों से सज्जित जीवन, प्रखर प्यार से वंचित यौवन,

नीरवता से मुखरित मधुबन, परहित अर्पित अपना तन-मन,

जीवन को शत-शत आहुति में, जलना होगा, गलना होगा।

क़दम मिलाकर चलना होगा।

Kuch kanto se sajjit jeevan, Prakhar pyaar se vanchit yovan,

Neeravta se mukhrit madhuban, Parhit arpit apna tan-man,

Jeevan ko shat-shat aahuti mein, Jalna hoga, galna hoga.

Kadam milakar chalna hoga.A life fitted with thorns, A precocious youth deprived of love,A garden expressed with calmness, selflessly devoting body and soul,Life have to be burned, melted in hundreds of offerings.We have to walk together.